Bittersweet Symphony
by dualstrike
Summary: He tries to pretend, tries to forget that the whispers are directed and him and her. - riley & dawn; ironwillshipping


**Bittersweet Symphony - A Pokemon fanfiction**  
><em>He tries to pretend, tries to forget that the whispers about him and her are directed at them.<em>  
><strong>Characters:<strong> Dawn & Riley; ironwillshipping  
><strong>Rated:<strong> K+  
><strong>Genre:<strong> Drama & Romance  
><strong>Warnings  Notes:**Ironwillshipping. Riley is 25 while Dawn is 15. However, no adult themes are present in this because I don't do that. Angst all around and um the beginning I liked. xD Then it kind of started to suck. Oh well. I don't own the characters or Pokemon, just the story! Don't ask about the title btw, my iPod was on shuffle and this song came up so I was like, "LOL TITLE".

* * *

><p>This whole thing is wrong and he knows it.<p>

He's had these feelings for a while now, telling himself that he can't be with her and that their relationship will never last because of a difference that they had. But now, here he is running his skinny and long fingers through her indigo coloured hair, listening to her hum a soft and quiet tune. He wants to keep this up, wants to touch her and just _be with her_forever.

However, there's whispering of people who just don't understand a damn thing.

He hears them when he's out with her. He's clutching on her hand while she chatters about her friends Lucas and Barry and of course her Pokemon. He tries to listen to her but the whispers and the insults are breaking through, drowning her sweet words away.

_**"Isn't that Sir Riley? What's he doing with a young one?"**_

_**"I've heard things about them... Apparently they're close, if you know what I mean."**_

_**"But isn't she just a child? He's got to be at leastten years older than her!"**_

_**"It's sick, isn't it?"**_

He just can't seem to block their conversation out. That's all he hears now. He pulls his hand from Dawn, who simply stops and blinks. "Riley? Are you OK?" He sees her reach for his hand, which he quickly slips in his pocket. He wants to tell her the truth but when he opens his mouth, nothing but warm air exits.

"Sorry, Dawn. I realized I have something to do. I... I really have to go."

He places a smile on top of that sugarcoated lie, and she eats it up like ice cream. Dawn smiles back and nods her head. "OK! Barry and Lucas should be here soon anyway, so thanks for walking with me!" Leaning in, she expects a kiss from him. Riley's blue eyes dart around and he quickly kisses her on the cheek before hurrying along.

He feels their eyes on him and he continues to hear the murmurs of disappointed people. He covers his ears and quickens his pace, almost running into a building or two.

_Stop. Stop. It's nothing like that. Our relationship is not what you think it is!_

His mind is screaming now. He just wants to get away from this all. Why can't they just understand? They'll never understand them, him and Dawn. They're just so close minded, so disappointed.

They'll never be able to love each other in public.

* * *

><p>It's at least three in the morning when he leaves Sinnoh.<p>

He just can't stand to see her cry over this. Dawn had to end her day with Lucas and Barry early because even she heard the whispers and felt the disappointing stares of people around her. She ended up going to Riley's house, almost sobbing.

"I don't know what to do... I just can't stand them anymore! Why can't they understand that I loveyou…?" Even Dawn's mother frowns at the idea of her daughter being with a much older man than herself. Riley does his best to comfort her, pulling her into a warm hug as he whispers sweet words in her ear, rubbing her back lovingly but he knows that this will continue unless he does something about it.

He chooses to leave Sinnoh, never looking back at his home on Iron Island. He makes an excuse to Lucario, saying that he always wanted to travel but even his aura Pokemon knew the real reason. He just couldn't stand Dawn cry.

He wanted to forget the girl whose smile could brighten up a dark and cloudy day.

* * *

><p>When she reaches his house, all she finds is his hat, a key to his house and a note. Dawn had wanted to spend the day with him in public, despite what people might say. She felt like it was the only way to conquer the problem. Maybe if people saw how much they loved each other, they would leave them alone.<p>

She ignores the other items and goes straight to the note. Dawn clutches it tightly, tears sprinkling down her face.

_"i'm sorry. i love you but you have your whole life ahead of you. you're beautiful; you don't deserve to suffer like this. please don't take this the wrong way._

_yours faithfully_  
><em>riley"<em>

The tears begin to storm down her face as she drops the note, quickly drying her tears from her face and eyes. She's an absolute mess now. He left her all alone in this cruel world and he didn't even say good bye properly!

"I hate you, Riley!"

She wanted to hate him, but she can't find herself to do so. She's so in love with him. She could never hate him anyway.

He was too beautiful to hate.

* * *

><p>Her mother is screaming at her to come back.<p>

Dawn knows it's selfish of her, to leave her friends and family behind, but she wants to find him. She brings her Pokemon with her, her bag and her love and faith for the man named Riley. She walks out the door and feels the warm, summer breeze flow across her face.

She was going to tear through every region, every town and every place until she found him. She didn't care if she only got to see him one time.

She wanted to see his beautiful smile and eyes one last time.


End file.
